


Waves in Moonlight

by fanfoolishness (LoonyLupin), LoonyLupin



Series: The Outer Rim [8]
Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Family Feels, Gen, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:41:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28496250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoonyLupin/pseuds/fanfoolishness, https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoonyLupin/pseuds/LoonyLupin
Summary: Din seeks out other Mandalorians to help him find the Child's kind.  A small island is a bust, but Din and the Child share a meal beneath the moons before they travel onward.  Takes place between Chapter 8 and 9.
Relationships: Din Djarin & Grogu | Baby Yoda
Series: The Outer Rim [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2055645
Comments: 13
Kudos: 121





	Waves in Moonlight

The  _ Razor Crest _ glowed in the distance beneath the light of the rising moons. He had landed on a small island in the midst of an archipelago, where sources had told him he might find another Mandalorian. The lead had dried up, though, and the bar droid at the only cantina on the island had told him the Mandalorian in question had moved on weeks before. 

Din left the cantina disheartened, but with a new supply of food for himself and the kid in his bag. He’d have eaten there except the place stank of violence, and the eyes in the room told him another fight was imminent. Battle was his lifeblood, but the kid was hungry and there was no honor in knocking down barfight idiots. They made it about a hundred yards before the sounds of blaster fire started up. He shook his head and chuckled as they made their way back to the ship. 

The island was so small it didn’t even have a proper shipyard, just a flattened patch of sand near the shore scored with engine fire. When they reached the ship he nearly continued inward, eager to move on, but he looked down at the kid in his pram first. The kid was fidgeting, clearly restless. Of course, the place they’d left two or three hours ago had been at high noon. No wonder the kid wasn’t ready for bed yet.

“C’mon,” said Din, nodding his head to the kid. “Let’s stretch your legs a little before we take off. We’ll try out some of this food, huh?”

The kid looked up at him eagerly. Din stopped the pram in front of the  _ Crest _ and lifted the child out, letting him walk around in the sand. “Just stay away from the water,” he cautioned. “I don’t know how to swim, and I’m betting you don’t either.” The kid perked his ears up as if to agree, then happily set about wandering in the sand. 

Din settled down in the sand a few feet away, watching the kid carefully. His stomach gnawed at him, and he hesitated. He didn’t like lifting his helmet even a little to eat in front of the kid, out of an abundance of caution, but he didn’t want to be distracted in the ship, either, and couldn’t guarantee the kid would sleep any time soon. He opened up one of the tins he’d procured and lifted his helmet cautiously, taking a bite and then lowering the helmet again. 

Hm. Not bad. Some kind of seaweed-wrapped grain, mixed with succulent fish. He took a few more bites, keeping an eye on the kid each time. “Stay away from the water, remember?”

The moonlight lit the waves, gently lapping against the shore several feet away. It gleamed silver over his beskar, reflections winking white with every movement. And the kid’s face seemed to glow beneath the gold-white moons, his eyes twinkling as he investigated the sands, picking up shells, making little marks in the sand with his small hands and feet. 

Din finished his meal and patted the sand beside him. “C’mere, kid, let’s get you some dinner. What do you say?” 

The kid hurried to him as quick as his tiny legs could take him, a sight that made his heart swell even though he was sure the kid was just hungry. He carefully placed the tin in the kid’s lap, pointing out each little component of the meal. The kid watched raptly, then began to eat, making little chirrups of pleasure with each bite.

“At least you’re a good eater,” Din said, patting the kid on the back to make sure he didn’t eat too quickly. The kid leaned into his touch, curling up against his beskar cuisse and resting one little arm on it as he ate.

The waves drifted in and out, carrying beads of moonlight on their surface. Din watched them for a while, faint memories stirring in the back of his mind.

_ His mother and father in light summer robes, laughing on the red-gold sands -- _

_ Splashing in the water, running in and out of the waves, crowing with delight -- _

_ Water up to his waist, his chest, laughter turning to frightened silence, the water closing over his head -- _

_ His parents red-faced, crying, holding him so tight it hurt as he coughed and coughed -- _

He shivered, and pulled the child closer. He remembered so little of his childhood before the Mandalorians; he’d forgotten that day on the beach long ago. The waves flowed in, flowed out, and he felt cold in a way that had nothing to do with the light breeze.

The kid lifted his head and looked up at him, ears drooping down to his shoulders, letting out a small, questioning sound between a bite of food. Din looked down at him, blinking and letting out a long breath.

Din patted the kid gently. “Don’t worry,” he told him. “We’ll stay right up here, okay? I got you.”

The kid returned to his dinner, contentedly finishing the rest. Din rubbed his back, small circles with the flat of his thumb, just a little touch saying  _ I’m here. _

“All done?” Din asked. The kid held up his empty tin, then looked up at him with big, sleepy eyes, moonlight glinting in their surface. Din smiled behind the helmet. “Ready for a nap? Good job, buddy.” 

He placed the kid back in his pram, casting one last look at the waves, dancing in the moonlight. He closed his eyes. 

_ Sitting on the shore watching the waves, wrapped warmly in a blanket, sitting between his parents -- _

_ Their arms safe and comforting around him, their voices soft and gentle in a tongue he no longer knows -- _

_ Eating sweets as the sun sinks into the waves, as the moonlight rises, laughing once again, the fear forgotten -- _

He bent down and reached into the bag, pulling out a small foil-lined box. “Kid?” he asked. 

The child sleepily looked up at him, cocking his head to one side, big ears quivering in attention.

He opened the box and handed the baby a tiny, sugary cookie. “Here ya go. Something special since you were so good today.” The kid took the cookie and bit into it, his ears zinging straight up with surprise. He cooed gleefully, and Din let out a soft sigh. “Now come on. Let’s get you ready for the bed.” 

He led the child’s pram back to the entrance of the  _ Razor Crest _ , moonlight silvering his beskar, and they left the waves behind.

**Author's Note:**

> Going back and rewatching chapter 12, it's frightening how close Din came to drowning in his armor. Even more so if you throw in a frightening childhood experience around water. Written for an anonymous request on tumblr for Din + moonlight, but decided to also tie it to water.


End file.
